Kashmir, Article 370 India’s internal matter: Prasad

During his visit here, the Union law minister was asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese president Xi Jinping discussed the abrogation of Article 370, which ended Kashmir’s special status, and the situation in that state.

“Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir is an internal matter. Whatever decision is to be taken on it, India will decide,” Prasad told reporters.

“Nobody in the world made a comment on it, whether it be the US, UK, European Union, Russia or China,” he added.

Modi and Xi held an informal summit at Mamallapuram on Friday and Saturday. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told the media at the end of the summit that Kashmir issue was not discussed, but Xi briefed Modi about Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s visit to Beijing earlier in the week.

“Modi has emerged as a global leader and global icon, Modi has already been honoured by six countries with their top civilian awards.
The countries such as Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Palestine, Muscat and Bahrain (have honoured him) and you can realize how many of them are Islamic countries,” Prasad further said here.

“You must have seen `Howdy Modi’ event in Houston. Some 50,000 people had turned out in the US and such function was never ever held in that country earlier,” Prasad said.

“This is happening because of Modi’s hard work and efforts. Entire world respects him,” the senior BJP leader added.

“The country has seen more than dozens of prime ministers but only four were truly chosen by the people. First was…Jawaharlal Nehru, second was Indira Gandhi, (then) Atal Bihari Vajpayee and now Narendra Modi,” he said.

“I am deliberately not counting Rajiv Gandhi here, because the mandate he had received was due to the sad death of his mother and PM Indira Gandhi,” said the minister.